Display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A visual display device having at least two pairs of spaced opposed rollers. One pair of rollers is mounted horizontally in a vertical plane. The other pair of rollers is mounted vertically in the same plane. Each pair of rollers is provided with a plurality of tapes on which visual indicia are carried. The tapes of the horizontal rollers are interwoven with the tape of the vertical rollers. Drive means is also provided to rotate the rollers and move the tapes to make the indicia periodically visible and invisible.

1151 3,656,248 [451 Apr. 18, 1972 United States Patent Echter [54]DISPLAYAPPARATUS 1,037,423 4/1953 [72] Inventor: Otto H. Echter, Apt.1509, Plienin- 2332 *"$F 718,742 11/1954GreatBritain........................ May 15,1970

[22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Richard CarterAttorney-Kurt Kelman Appl. No.: 37,760

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 18, 1969Ireland....................................

.836/69 ABSTRACT A visual display device having at least two airs of saced o posed rollers. One pair of rollers is mounte ztl horizoiitally ina 35 G vertical plane. The other pair of rollers is mounted vertically273/155 in the same plane. Each pair of rollers is provided with aplurality of tapes on which visual indicia are carried. The tapes of mwt 8 .e S l m C .1 MR IF 1 oo 5 l.

the horizontal rollers are interwoven with the tape of the verticalrollers. Drive means is also provided to rotate the rollers and move thetapes to make the indicia periodically visible and invisible.

s T. N m MM CS E mm e e m H N U m B 770,585 9/1904lkemori..................................35/76X 3,235,262 2/1966FrankL...................................35/76X 12 Claims, 8 DrawingFigures FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 573,641 3/1924France...................................273/l55 PATENTEDAPR 18 1922SHEET 2 [IF 7 Inventor 0110 H-EZRTER AGE/Yr PATENTEDAPR 18 m2 sum 3 OF 7Inventor ou'o EH'rER AGENT PATENTED PRWBYE 3,656,248

' SHEET u [1F 7 lnvenlor OTTO HaECH-TGR PKTENTEDAPR 18 m2 SHEET 5 OF 701W 1-. Ewen Mew PATENTEDAPR 18 I972 SHEET 8 [IF 7 I nvenlor 0 W0 (62mAGENT PATENTEDAPR 18 1912 SHEET 7 [IF 7 lrwenlor OTTO H. FCHTER y AGENTof printed, photographic, or other visual indicia. It is also an objectof this invention to provide an animated or moving display in which thematerial viewed may be selectively moved from one portion of the displayto another or replaced entirely with other material. Additionally, it isalso desired to provide a visual display device which provides apleasing, colorful, and

attractive appearance.

\ 1 According to the invention, there is provided a display apparatuscomprising a frame member which supports and houses at least two pairsof spaced apart rollers, one pair of rollers being horizontally mountedin a vertical plane and the second pair of rollers being verticallymounted in the same vertical plane. A plurality of endless tapes orribbons, adapted to carry or support material to be displayed, aresecured around each pair of spaced apart rollers. The tapes or ribbonsmounted around the horizontally mounted rollers are interwoven with thetapes or ribbons mounted around the vertically mounted rollers.Automatic drive means is operatively connected to the two pairs ofrollers whereby, on actuation of the drive means, each pair of rollersis rotated to make the matter carried by the tapes periodically visibleand periodically invisible to a viewer. Preferably, the axes of therollers are substantially identical in length and define the sides of asquare. Co-operating bevel gears may be provided at the ends of the twoadjoining rollers, one from each pair of rollers, to connect with adrive means for'rotation in unison of the driven rollers.

The present invention also provides a construction which gives a maximumof six viewing surfaces, such display apparatus comprising a framemember which supports and houses two sets of four rollers of which allthe four rollers of each set are mutually parallel and co-terminous andwhose axes define a rectangle when viewed in end elevation and a thirdset of four rollers of which all the rollers are mutually parallel andco-terminous and whose axes are perpendicular to the axes of the othertwo sets of four rollers and define a rectangle when viewed incross-section, the axes of the twelve rollers defining a cube, and a setof tapes arranged to straddle the firstset of four rollers, a set oftapes arranged to straddle the second set of four rollers and a thirdset of tapes arranged to straddle the third set of four rollers, anddrive means associated with each set of four rollers and adapted torotate the rollers and thereby effect movement of the three sets oftapes relative to each other.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription of preferred embodiments thereof given by way of exampleonly with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a display apparatus according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the display apparatus with itscovering frame removed;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the tapes removed;

FIG. 4 is an underneath view of the tape drive means;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the drive means;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified means of mounting a tape;

FIG. 7 is a front view similar to FIG. 3 of a second embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of a third embodiment of the invention utilisingtwelve rollers.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing, a frame member 1 is mounted onlegs 2 and completely encloses the operative parts of the displayapparatus. One viewing window 3 is provided showing a plurality ofinterwoven endless tapes 4 of flexible transparent plastics material orsimilar flexible ribbon, which change position relative to each otherperiodically to change the subject matter on the tapes 4 which isdisplayed to a viewer.

One set of endless tapes 4 are movable side-by-side around a pair ofopposed spaced apart rollers 5aand 5b whose axes are horizontallymounted in a vertical plane and a second set of endless tapes 4 aremovable side-by-side around a pair of spaced apart rollers 6a and 6bwhose axes are vertically mounted in said vertical plane, the tapes 4which are movable around the horizontally mounted rollers beinginterwoven with the vertically mounted tapes 4 so that the specificsubject matter displayed on the tapes 4 is periodically visible andperiodically invisible to a viewer.

As seen in FIG. 2 the axes of the four rollers 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b areidentical in length and substantially define the sides of a square. Eachroller is divided into four roller sections to facilitate carrying atape 4 on each section. The rollers 50, 5b, 6a and 6b are all mounted inbearings 10 and supported in position by brackets 11 which are boltedthrough the holes 12 in conventional manner to the interior of the framemember 1. Rollers 5a and 6a are provided at their adjacent ends withcooperating gear wheels 7 and 8 respectively which are connected to theoutput shaft 9 of an intermittent electric drive mechanism which will bedescribed hereinafter in detail.

The drive rollers 5a and 6a are provided with a sprocket wheel havingteeth 13, FIG. 3, while the idler rollers 5b and 6b have rims 14defining each roller section. The tapes 4 have reinforced perforatededge portions preferably along both sides although perforations alongone edge is also satisfactory. The perforations 15 co-operate with thesprocket teeth 13 for accurate mounting of the tapes 4 on the rollersand for movement of the tapes 4 under the influence of the rotation ofthe rollers 5a and 6a, the rims 14 on the idler rollers 5b and 6bmaintain the tapes in a correct position and in register for ease ofinterwoven movement and do not unduly constrain the correct directionmovement of the tapes 4 since the tapes 4 merely have frictionalengagement with the rollers 5b and 6b.

The endless tapes 4 have self-sealing ends and are provided with anumber of pockets 16, of which only a few are shown in FIG. 2. In thepresent embodiment, ten pockets per tape are preferred, the pocketsbeing adapted to accomodate for display purposes printer matter,photographs or flexible merchandise for example ladies stockings. Theindicia may be carried by other means, if desired, as by gluing the sameon the tape or by printing it directly on the tape itself. An opening 17to pocket 16 is provided on that edge: of the pocket which will form thetrailing edge of the pocket when the tape is in use. The width of thetapes as indicated by the dimensionfA in FIG. 2 depends upon the lengthof the roller section on the rollers 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b. The height of atape pocket as defined by the dimension B shown in FIG. 2 is equal tothe length of the circumference of the rollers 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b wherebyone revolution of the rollers 5a and 6a under the action of the electricdrive means serves to move the tapes one tape pocket width to cover thematerial displayed immediately prior to the tape movement and bring intoview another arrangement of display material.

The intermittent electric drive mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and5 and comprises an electric motor 20 the output shaft of which isoperatively connected to a reduction gearbox 21, a chain drive 22 fromthe gearbox output to an idler disc 23 mounted on the drive shaft 9 tothe rollers 5a and 6a, drive discs 24 and 25 fixedly mounted upon thesaid drive shaft 9 adjacent the idler disc 23 and adapted by means ofshaped projections 26 to engage rigid projection members 27 provided onthe chain drive 22, the projection members 27 being spaced apart adistance equal to the circumferential distance apart of the shapedprojections 26 on the discs 24 and 25 whereby rotation of the driveshaft 9 and hence the rollers 5a and 6a is obtained only during thatperiod when the projection members 27 engage the shaped projections 26of the drive discs 24 and 25.

It will be appreciated that when the leading projection member 27engages shaped projections 26, the drive discs 24 and 25 are rotatedone-half a revolution and as the projection member 27 disengages thesaid shaped projections 26, the second projection member 27 is inposition to repeat the procedure and ensure the completion of the onerevolution of the drive discs 24 and 25. One revolution of the drivediscs 24 and 25 causes a revolution of the drive shaft 9 and hence arevolution of the rollers 5a and 6a. Since a tape pocket width is equalto the length of the circumference of the rollers 5a and 6a, therevolution of the rollers causes the tapes to move one tape pocket indistance. When the projection members 27 and the shaped projections 26of the dirve discs 24 and 25 are not in engagement there is a dwellperiod when the rollers 5a and 6a and hence tapes 4 are stationary whichaffords a viewer time to absorb the material displayed on the tapesections which are at that time visible.

In certain instances it is desired to provide means which will allow ofthe utilization of tapes 4 which are of a length greater than that whichmay be simply mounted about a pair of spaced apart rollers. In FIG. 6there is illustrated suitable tape carrying means which may be employedfor such a purpose. The endless tape 4 passes around the rollers 60 and6b but in addition is fed from roller 6a in a secondary roller systemcomprising, roller 28 to a roller 29 at the extremity of an extensionboom 30, to roller 31 and roller 32 where it is fed to a roller 6b andacross the viewing surface to roller 6a. The secondary intermediaryrollers may readily be supported within the frame member 1 inconventional manner, as for example the mounting of roller 31 upon asupport arm 33 fixed to a bracket 11.

If the tape carrying means is not required on a particular occasion forthe reason that the tapes to be used are suitable in length for mountingonly around the rollers, the extension boom 30 may be retracted bypivoting the extension boom 30 about the point 34 and securing it in astowed position in engagement with the clip 35.

In addition to the utilisation of the display apparatus to show suchmaterial as printed matter, photographs and certain light and flexiblemerchandise, the display apparatus may also be utilized as akalidoscope. This embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 7 of thedrawing and the construction of the display apparatus is in generalterms very similar to that already described with particular referenceto FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing. The major difference inconstruction resides in the fact that the roller sections of each roller5a, 5b, 6a and 6b is of a different diameter, so that the speed ofmovement of the individual tapes relative to each other is substantiallydifferent. A continuous drive is required in this case, so that theoutput from the gear box 21 is directly connected by the chain drive 22to a gear 36 fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 9. The tapes 4 utilizedin this embodiment are endless strips of colored translucent flexibleplastics material, the eight tapes used all being of a different color.Fluorescent tubes 37 are mounted behind the tapes on the brackets 11.

The color tapes each revolving at a different speed and interwoven alongthe viewing surface have an infinite number of color combinations andpatterns and the fluorescent lighting playing on the ever changing colorcombination and pattern gives a most striking visual impact.

It is also possible to achieve a similar but less effective resultutilising the display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 by installing thenecessary fluorescent lighting and replacing the intermittent electricdrive, by two individual electric drives to the rollers 5a and 6a. Therotational speed of the horizontally mounted rollers 5a and 5b isarranged to differ from the rotational speed of the vertically mountedrollers 6a and 6b. In this manner the colored translucent tapes as theyrevolve will give a multicolor combination and pattern which will havethe visual effect of being ever changing.

Where the display apparatus is to form the focus point of a display oris intended to be a major feature of a display it may be desired to haveavailable more than two display surfaces. In such cases a displayapparatus according to the invention and as illustrated in FIG. 8 may beused.

In this embodiment, two sets of endless flexible plastics tapes (notshown) are arranged to straddle respectively two sets of four rollers40and 41. In each set of four rollers all the rollers are mutuallyparallel and coterminous and their axes define a rectangle, in thisinstance a square, when viewed in end elevation. Another set of endlessflexible plastics tapes (not shown) are arranged to straddle a third setof four rollers 42, all the rollers being again mutually parallel andco-terminous with their axes perpendicular to the axes of the sets ofrollers 40 and 41 and defining a rectangle, in this instance a square,when viewed in cross-section. The axes of the three sets of rollers 40,41 and 42 define a cube. The sets of tapes are interwoven on theircommon viewing surfaces as described in the previous embodiments.

In this embodiment, the frame member is of necessity considerably largerthan the frame member utilized in the other embodiments described and aviewing window is provided on each side wall, to give a total of fourviewing windows. An intermittent drive mechanism 43 which is the same aspreviously described serves to drive three rollers and accordingly twosuch drive mechanisms are employed, which results in six drive rollersfitted with sprocket teeth and six idler rollers with fitted rims whichoperate in the same manner as previously described in relation to theembodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Reference has been made to internal lighting in association with the useof the display apparatus as a kalidoscope. Internal and/or externallighting may be provided in all other applications of the displayapparatus if desired, for example referring back to FIG. 1 of thedrawing, fluorescent tubes 50 may to advantage be mounted around atranslucent frame of the viewing window 3 along the interior of theframe member 1. Further taped speech and/or music may be provided toaccompany movement of the tapes and to this end stereophonic speakers 51and ancillary equipment are mounted on the interior of the frame member1.

As mentioned at the outset, the present invention has particularapplication in the fields of advertising and education. It is envisagedthat with minor modifications the invention has application in suchdifferent fields as, for example, amusement, recreation, route planningand/or indication and business management techniques.

What is claimed:

1. A display apparatus comprising a frame member, two pairs of spacedrollers mounted in said frame member, one of said pair of opposedrollers being horizontally mounted in a vertical plane and the other ofsaid opposed pairs of rollers being vertically mounted in said verticalplane, a plurality of endless tapes secured in side-by-side relationaround each pair of opposed rollers, each of said tapes being adapted tosupport material to be displayed, the tapes secured around thehorizontally mounted rollers being interwoven with the tapes mountedaround the vertically mounted rollers, and drive means operativelyconnected to at least one roller of each pair to rotate said interwoventapes on said rollers to make the material displayed on said tapesperiodically visible and invisible, each of said rollers having a numberof individual roller sections corresponding to the number ofside-by-side tapes mounted thereon, the diameters of the roller sectionsdiffering from each other to permit side-by-side tapes to move atdifferent speeds when driven.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive meansis an electric motor.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2, in which the tape isprovided with perforations along at least one edge thereof and in whicheach driven roller is provided with a number of sets of sprocket teethwhich engage said perforations, the idler rollers being provided withcorresponding rim members extending from the periphery thereof whichengage the extreme edges of the tapes.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive meansis an electric motor and includes means to drive one of the horizontallymounted rollers and one of the vertically mounted rollers, the secondhorizontally mounted rollers and the second vertically mounted rollerbeing mounted on idler rollers.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1, in which the axes of thefour rollers are substantially identical in length and define the sidesof a square and include cooperating gear wheels provided at the ends ofeach axis to operatively con-' nect the four rollers for rotation inunison.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each tape isprovided with perforations along at least one of its edge portion andwherein each roller is provided with a sprocket wheel adapted to engagesaid perforations.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each tape isprovided with a number of pockets adapted to accommodate visual indiciafor display.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 7, in which each pocket hasan opening on that edge of the pocket which will form the trailing edgeof the pocket when the tape is rotated.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 1, including a secondaryroller system associated with at least one of said pairs of opposedrollers, said secondary roller system comprising at least a pair ofspaced rollers, having parallel axes, adapted to support said tapes inassociation with said one pair of rollers when said tapes are greatereffective length than the distance between the rollers of said one pair.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 1, in which the framemember is provided with lighting means to illuminate the tapes.

11. A display apparatus comprising a frame member, two

sets of four rollers of which all of the four rollers of each set aremutually parallel and co-tenninous and whose axes define a rectanglewhen viewed in end elevation, a third set of four rollers of which allof the rollers are mutually parallel and coterminous and whose axes areperpendicular to the axes of the other two sets of four rollers anddefining a rectangle when viewed in cross-section, the twelve rollersdefining a cube, a plurality of interwoven tapes disposed on each ofsaid sets of rollers, drive means to rotate at least one roller of eachset of rollers and effect movement of said tapes relative to each other,said drive means comprising an electric motor having an output connectedto a reduction gearbox, a chain drive from said gearbox, spaced chaindrive projection members mounted on the chain drive, an idler discoperatively mounted to the chain drive, drive discs adjoining the idlerdisc and disposed to be engaged and driven by said spaced chain driveprojection members whereby rotation of all of said pairs of rollers isobtained only during that period when the spaced chain drive projectionmembers engage the drive discs.

12. The display apparatus according to claim 11, in which the tapesstraddling the first set of rollers are inter-woven with the tapesstraddling the second set of rollers over the two sides of the definedcube common to both sets of tapes, whereby upon actuation of the drivemeans to rotate each set of rollers matter displayed on the tapes isperiodically visible and periodically invisible to a viewer.

1. A display apparatus comprising a frame member, two pairs of spacedrollers mounted in said frame member, one of said pair of opposedrollers being horizontally mounted in a vertical plane and the other ofsaid opposed pairs of rollers being vertically mounted in said verticalplane, a plurality of endless tapes secured in side-by-side relationaround each pair of opposed rollers, each of said tapes being adapted tosupport material to be displayed, the tapes secured around thehorizontally mounted rollers being interwoven with the tapes mountedaround the vertically mounted rollers, and drive means operativelyconnected to at least one roller of each pair to rotate said interwoventapes on said rollers to make the material displayed on said tapesperiodically visible and invisible, each of said rollers having a numberof individual roller sections corresponding to the number ofside-by-side tapes mounted thereon, the diameters of the roller sectionsdiffering from each other to permit sideby-side tapes to move atdifferent speeds when driven.
 2. The display apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein said drive means is an electric motor.
 3. The displayapparatus according to claim 2, in which the tape is provided withperforations along at least one edge thereof and in which each drivenroller is provided with a number of sets of sprocket teeth which engagesaid perforations, the idler rollers being provided with correspondingrim members extending from the periphery thereof which engage theextreme edges of the tapes.
 4. The display apparatus according to claim1 wherein said drive means is an electric motor and includes means todrive one of the horizontally mounted rollers and one of the verticallymounted rollers, the second horizontally mounted rollers and the secondvertically mounted roller being mounted on idler rollers.
 5. The displayapparatus according to claim 1, in which the axes of the four rollersare substantially identical in length and define the sides of a squareand include cooperating gear wheels provided at the ends of each axis tooperatively connect the four rollers for rotation in unison.
 6. Thedisplay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each tape is providedwith perforations along at least one of its edge portion and whereineach roller is provided with a sprocket wheel adapted to engage saidperforations.
 7. The display apparatus according to claim 1, whereineach tape is provided with a number of pockets adapted to accommodatevisual indicia for display.
 8. The display apparatus according to claim7, in which each pocket has an opening on that edge of the pocket whichwill form the trailing edge of the pocket when the tape is rotated. 9.The display apparatus according to claim 1, including a secondary rollersystem associated with at least one of said pairs of opposed rollers,said secondary roller system comprising at least a pair of spacedrollers, having parallel axes, adapted to support said tapes inassociation with said one pair of rollers when said tapes are greatereffective length than the distance between the rollers of said one pair.10. The display apparatus according to claim 1, in which the framemember is provided with lighting means to illuminate the tapes.
 11. Adisplay apparatus comprising a frame member, two sets of four rollers ofwhich all of the four rollers of each set are mutually parallel andco-terminous and whose Axes define a rectangle when viewed in endelevation, a third set of four rollers of which all of the rollers aremutually parallel and co-terminous and whose axes are perpendicular tothe axes of the other two sets of four rollers and defining a rectanglewhen viewed in cross-section, the twelve rollers defining a cube, aplurality of interwoven tapes disposed on each of said sets of rollers,drive means to rotate at least one roller of each set of rollers andeffect movement of said tapes relative to each other, said drive meanscomprising an electric motor having an output connected to a reductiongearbox, a chain drive from said gearbox, spaced chain drive projectionmembers mounted on the chain drive, an idler disc operatively mounted tothe chain drive, drive discs adjoining the idler disc and disposed to beengaged and driven by said spaced chain drive projection members wherebyrotation of all of said pairs of rollers is obtained only during thatperiod when the spaced chain drive projection members engage the drivediscs.
 12. The display apparatus according to claim 11, in which thetapes straddling the first set of rollers are inter-woven with the tapesstraddling the second set of rollers over the two sides of the definedcube common to both sets of tapes, whereby upon actuation of the drivemeans to rotate each set of rollers matter displayed on the tapes isperiodically visible and periodically invisible to a viewer.